Interview with Pedro Rodriguez
Tell us a bit about you and your creative practice.
I love drawing dark/high contrast emotive portraits: things that probably make my mom worry about me. I try and assure her that they come from a place of love. My go to medium has always been graphite and charcoal but it wasn't till I started playing Diablo 2 and frequenting gaming forums that I picked up digital painting in hopes of creating my own cool signature banner. I'm glad I picked that skill up and can now apply it to my tattoo design work.
I love drawing dark/high contrast emotive portraits: things that probably make my mom worry about me. I try and assure her that they come from a place of love. My go to medium has always been graphite and charcoal but it wasn't till I started playing Diablo 2 and frequenting gaming forums that I picked up digital painting in hopes of creating my own cool signature banner. I'm glad I picked that skill up and can now apply it to my tattoo design work.
How does San Jose come through in your creative work?
What I have found most remarkable in my 3 short years of tattooing is that the customers who come to me for tattoos have unknowingly helped me understand more and more about my past. I repressed so much through my childhood that when I hear someone retell a story about growing up here, and it mirrors my own, it all comes back and I feel relief. It's an odd thought to think customers are granting me the ability to open up and vent to a complete stranger, when they come to me expecting the same from their tattoo artist. I'm like a bartender listening to laments of the patrons.
What I have found most remarkable in my 3 short years of tattooing is that the customers who come to me for tattoos have unknowingly helped me understand more and more about my past. I repressed so much through my childhood that when I hear someone retell a story about growing up here, and it mirrors my own, it all comes back and I feel relief. It's an odd thought to think customers are granting me the ability to open up and vent to a complete stranger, when they come to me expecting the same from their tattoo artist. I'm like a bartender listening to laments of the patrons.
In talking to San Jose artists, the issue of SPACE often comes up. What is your workspace like?
Inviting. My co-worker and I have always kept that as our goal: to create an open and welcoming environment for the community. We wanted to make a shop with an outer appearance that doesn't intimidate the mom in her 40's who has finally decided to get her first tattoo.
Inviting. My co-worker and I have always kept that as our goal: to create an open and welcoming environment for the community. We wanted to make a shop with an outer appearance that doesn't intimidate the mom in her 40's who has finally decided to get her first tattoo.
Do you feel there is a visible art/writing community in San Jose? How are you connected to it?
I see it all the time driving around downtown, watching the amount of public art projects constantly growing both in number and quality. I shy away from meeting strangers so my art circle is rather small, but it's what reminds me daily that the San Jose art community is alive and well, albeit, scattered and on the margins.
I see it all the time driving around downtown, watching the amount of public art projects constantly growing both in number and quality. I shy away from meeting strangers so my art circle is rather small, but it's what reminds me daily that the San Jose art community is alive and well, albeit, scattered and on the margins.
Is San Jose a "creative wasteland?"
Not to me, and I have to believe it is because of the artists who I surround myself with. Sure, I do see more opportunities up north for social gatherings for artists, but that just means we need to step up and offer the same for South Bay artists.
Not to me, and I have to believe it is because of the artists who I surround myself with. Sure, I do see more opportunities up north for social gatherings for artists, but that just means we need to step up and offer the same for South Bay artists.